Thought experiment. What would you do in my situation?

[Joseph Hennis]

I'm new to bigger pockets and would like advice on what steps I should take next. I am a new engineer making 76k/yr start. My wife is a psych tech making 45k/yr. Credit score 800.

We started out with our first purchase in April of 2009, buying a home for 150k now valued at 362k. In 2012 that property became a rental. Later, I got a HELOC on that property, and used it as down payment for the other four properties we own. I guess I was doing BRRR without knowing what that was.

So, what I want to know is, what would you do in my situation? What strategy would you use? How would you employ that strategy specific to my scenario?

Any answer is fine; from taking the money out and hiding it in gold bars to selling everything and flipping MF/SFR to wholesaling, etc. Whatever is your specialty.

Would you sell properties, refinance them? If you would refinance, what type of loan would you use and what interest rate would you shoot for?

Assume current market conditions. I am hoping that this thread can be fun, while spawning some new and interesting ideas, as well as help to inform me of the array of investment strategies out there. I have been considering whether I should mention my experience, skills, and training, as it is relevant to what "I" would do... but this discussion is "What YOU would do". So I will leave that out. The following is my actual situation...

property 1 (SFR, CA) rent: 1850 value: 362k loan: 113k payment: 850 rate: 4.375% 30yr fixed HELOC: 73k payment: 500 rate: 4.75%

property 2 (SFR, Utah) rent: 975 value: 150k loan: 58k payment: 450 rate: 4.8% 30yr fixed

property 3 (duplex, Utah) rent: 1050 value: 150k loan: 67.5k payment: 500 rate: 4.875% 30yr fixed

property 4 (duplex, Utah) rent: 1050 value: 150k loan: 67.5k payment: 500 rate: 4.875% 30yr fixed

property 5 (SFR, CA, Primary residence, parents renting) rent: 2200 value: 395k loan: 301k payment: 1900 rate: 4.5% 7/1 arm

total assets: 1.207 million total liabilities: 680k net worth: 527k

total rent: 7125 total payments: 4700 difference: 2425

total cash: 30k

own cars cash. no other rent/mort payment, credit cards paid to 0 balance every month... So, no consumer debt.

THANKS AND HAVE FUN WITH THIS!

[Ryan E.]

Of course it all depends on what the end goal is. In your situation I don't think I would sell anything off... unless you have a problem child in your portfolio then now may be a perfect time to sell since the market is so hot. 

I know in UT there are credit unions that will give HELOC's on rental properties up to 80% of the appraised value. I would pull HELOC's on as many as I could to at least have access to that money. Or possibly even a business line if credit. Then I'd look at wholesaling/flipping...start marketing for properties and turn the HELOC money fast on flips. This way I could build as much capital as possible to then reinvest in rentals. In this scenario I may even consider switching to a purely capital building mode as many if not most think we are at or close to the top of the market.

Perfect opportunity to expand knowledge and skills into other areas of real estate investing! One of my goals is to learn and implement the creative real estate strategies like owner financing which I think can help anyone be a better wholesaler/flipper/buy and holder.